Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Ecumenical

The Christian Church is divided due to different interpretations of the faith and different religious practices. The ecumenical movement promotes dialogue and understanding between Christians and works for visible unity.

Episcopal

‘Episcopal’ refers to the role or ministry of a bishop. So an episcopal church is one in which oversight is entrusted to a bishop. Like many others, the Church in Wales is an episcopal church.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Liturgy

Liturgy is a set form of words and action used for worship. In the Church in Wales (and many other churches) these forms follow the same pattern from one congregation to another. Most Anglican liturgies look back in some way to the Book of Common Prayer.

Home About us Bishops Bishop of St Asaph

Bishop of St Asaph

The Right Reverend Gregory Cameron

Gregory Kenneth Cameron was born and brought up in south east Wales. After making a commitment of faith as a teenager, he started attending his local village Anglican Church. He was educated in Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School in Cwmbran, and while reading Law at Oxford University, discerned a vocation to the ordained ministry. On being accepted as an ordinand of the Church in Wales, Gregory studied Theology and Religious Studies in Cambridge.

After studying at St Michael’s College, Llandaff, Gregory was ordained into the Diocese of Monmouth, serving for the next six years in parishes in the diocese. He later served as a school chaplain (Wycliffe College, Stonehouse) and as director of an educational charity (The Bloxham Project). In 2000, Rowan Williams, then Archbishop of Wales, appointed Gregory as his Chaplain.

In 2003, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion appointed Gregory as Director of Ecumenical Affairs at the Anglican Communion Office in London, and he became Deputy Secretary General a year later. In this role, Gregory was involved deeply in Anglican Communion affairs and in all the ecumenical dialogues of the Anglican Communion at international level.

Gregory holds Masters degrees in Jurisprudence, Theology and Canon Law, and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from the Episcopal Divinity School in Massachusetts. He has lectured in Old Testament at St Michael’s College, Llandaff, and as an Honorary Research Fellow in Canon Law at the Centre for Law and Religion in Cardiff University. He is currently Co-Chair of the Anglican Oriental Orthodox International Commission.

He was elected Bishop of St Asaph in 2009, a diocese which covers north-east and part of central Wales. He has served as lead bishop on education, church liturgy and ecumenism and interfaith relations and has worked closely with other organisations to support homeless people and refugees. In 2016 Gregory also established the UK’s first LGBTQIA Chaplaincy.

Gregory is married to Clare, a teacher of music, and they have three sons. He has a wide range of interests outside ministry and enjoys calligraphy, reading, and film – particularly science fiction. He has gained recognition as a coin designer in his spare time, creating three designs for the Royal Mint.

Email: bishop.stasaph@churchinwales.org.uk